14 November 2025
Local NHS preparing for strike action
The doctors’ union the British Medical Association has announced that resident doctors across the country will be taking industrial action for five days, after national…
Home » News » Summer of Play served up more than 26,000 FREE meals and activity sessions to MK families
Cllr Jane Carr, Cabinet Member for Inequalities, with children enjoying a free football session at Portfields Primary School.
Milton Keynes City Council funded more than 106,000 hours of free activity sessions for local children and young people, as well as providing healthy meals and snacks over the school summer holidays. The City Council’s Summer of Play programme offered indoor and outdoor events in 50 locations across MK.
Working with local organisations such as schools, clubs and charities, the City Council provided sports, music, cookery, education and crafts with children and young people learning skills from football and tennis to African drums, horse riding and circus performances.
More than 26,000 individual sessions took place during August with each including a free healthy meal and snack.
“Our incredibly popular Summer of Play has been a welcome boost, especially to struggling local families. We know that the rising costs of living has a massive impact on children, and we wanted to ensure that all MK families had access to plenty of free events and meals over the summer period. I’d like to thank all those providers of activities and fresh food who worked with us to deliver the programme. We’re delighted to have built on the success of last year and will keep looking at ways we can support families in the year ahead.”- Cllr Zoe Nolan, Cabinet Member for Children and Families
The Council is inviting all families who attended one or more sessions to give their feedback via a brief questionnaire.
For press enquiries, please email blmkicb.communications@nhs.net
14 November 2025
Local NHS preparing for strike action
The doctors’ union the British Medical Association has announced that resident doctors across the country will be taking industrial action for five days, after national…
14 November 2025
New support for cancer patients across Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes launched
Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (BLMK ICB) has launched a new suite of informative videos designed to support patients, families and carers…
10 November 2025
Flu jab SOS for residents in the East of England with worst…
The NHS has issued a ‘flu jab SOS’, with the East of England’s vaccinations expert warning people to get protected now, with only weeks to go before the worst of the…
31 October 2025
Local general practices offer more appointments than the same period last year
The number of appointments available at general practices in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes has shown a further increase. Figures published by NHS England reveal that over 1,650,000 appointments were…
27 October 2025
Innovative facial analysis app recognises pain in care home residents
Danecroft is a 34-bed care home in Bedford, predominantly caring for people living with dementia but also other conditions such as Parkinson’s and MS. Since April, it has been using…
24 October 2025
Half term clinics to offer catch-up vaccinations for children
Parents of children who are behind on any of their immunisations have been reminded that there will be an opportunity to catch up on any missed vaccinations during the half…